Here we go again. England are into the knockout rounds of a World Cup 2026, and now the threat of penalties loom over every nerve-jangling game with Mexico coming up in the last 16.

Lawrence Ostlere delves into the details to reveal who should take a spot-kick if that eventuality comes to pass - and one player that should probably stay out of the conversation:

Mexico boss Javier Aguirre denied he was “fooled” by Fifa’s potential plan to move the kick-off of the last-16 clash with England.

Having branded the decision to bring the game forward a “kick in the stomach” before Fifa back-tracked, Aguirre replied to Mexican journalists: “Before you were calling me a preacher, now you are telling me I was fooled.

“I don’t know what you mean, I was told the match would be played at a different time and I said I wasn’t happy with the change. A day before the match, it was inconvenient and that’s all I said.

“I wasn’t looking for attention. You can rest assured those things aren’t spreading through the group – they’re prepared, strong and ready to play a good match tomorrow.“Those things can happen and went unnoticed for the players.”

We’re all bracing for a late night (and then an early start) ahead of England’s 1am BST kick-off in Mexico City. But with the risk of thunderstorms still very much there, the game could be delayed deep into the early hours of the morning.

Under World Cup safety rules, any lightning strikes detected within eight miles of the stadium result in an automatic 30-minute delay to play, something that affected France’s group-stage clash with Iraq.

More significantly, Mexico’s last game at the Azteca, against Ecuador on Tuesday, was delayed by one hour due to dangerous lightning activity in the vicinity. A similar scenario is very possible tonight.

With the possibility of extra time also a factor, this being a knockout tie of course, the sun may have fully risen on English shores before the final whistle is blown.

The build for this last-16 tie with Mexico has made it seem everything is stacked against England, from the co-hosts’ home advantage to the infamous altitude.

But in a huge boost, Thomas Tuchel revealed that England’s right-back crisis is lifting.

He believes Reece James could return to the England matchday squad for the Three Lions’ crunch World Cup tie against Mexico, while Jarrell Quansah is back fit after the ankle injury that he picked up a week ago against Panama.

The Bayer Leverkusen defender could start at right back over Djed Spence, who struggled in the victory over DR Congo.

Elsewhere, Declan Rice has been declared fit for Sunday’s last-16 tie as the midfield linchpin continues to manage pain in his back and hamstring. Rice finished the game against DR Congo at right-back – but he is expected to start alongside Elliot Anderson in midfield.

Thomas Tuchel drew a line through the rumour that England players were planning to use Viagra to help combat the effects of altitude in Mexico City - but that hasn’t stopped Jordan Henderson from having a bit of fun with the story.

Henderson was later asked how his side are coping with the challenging environment and he quipped: “Well, the Viagra helped, I think… I’m joking!”

He then returned to his media-trained self and said: “Players are very adaptable, really, and just get on with things.

“Like the kick-off time yesterday, whether we play at 12pm, whether we play at 6pm (local time), it doesn’t really bother us.

“We just come here to do our job, and that’s to be the best version of ourselves, to be together, to compete, to give everything for each other and the nation back home, to make them proud and to try to win a football game.

“Everything that we can’t influence, like kick-off times or altitude or stuff at the hotel, is not in our control, so we just have to find solutions, which we’re pretty good at.

“So for us it’s about full focus on our job ahead, no excuses.

“We’re ready to go and we want to come here and be the best version of ourselves tomorrow, and if we do that then we’ll have a good chance of winning.”

The nation will no doubt be on the edge of its seat tonight as England play Mexico at the Azteca.

After a number of touch and go matches with two late game goals from Harry Kane against the Democratic Republic of Congo, it’s no surprise that both the captain and England manager Thomas Tuchel has urged home fans to keep up the support.

Earlier in the tournament Ecuador had complained to Fifa about the noise made by Mexican fans outside their hotel ahead of their round of 32 meeting with the home supporters blaring music from loudspeakers, revving up motorbikes and honking horns into the early hours of the morning before the game.